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contest, Diane Saxon, Flynn's Kiss, humor, Lie-dar, prizes, writer

This must be Thursday. I never could get the hang of Thursdays. –Douglas Adams

Last week Lynette Rees challenged readers to spot her lie. Do you think Lynette:

Met the actor Oliver Reed at a friend’s wedding party when he offered to buy her a drink and show her his tattoo. (By the way, the tattoo was somewhere that should be kept out of sight when in public!)
Was chosen to carry the Olympic Torch before the London Olympics in recognition of her wartime nursing service
Delivered her grandchild when her daughter went into early labor and they were waiting for the ambulance to arrive.

And the winner of a digital (eBook) copy of Lynette’s new contemporary romance, Beneath a Sicilian Sun, is Heather Kaye Jones. Congratulations Heather, on your excellent Lie-dar!

For this week’s chance to win, play Lie-dar with Diane Saxon below

My guest today is Diane Saxon, author of contemporary romance novels including her new release, Flynn’s Kiss. Reviewers are already hailing it as “a fast moving, sexy and heartwarming story“. Diane has dropped in from the Shropshire countryside, where she lives with her tall, dark, handsome husband, two gorgeous daughters, a Dalmatian, one-eyed kitten, ginger cat, and four chickens.

Star Wars, Star Trek, or Firefly? Star Trek

You’re telling me 75% of people who wear red shirts die? Beam me down!
First car? An Austin Princess Vandem Plas with Walnut dashboard and big leather seats. I think these are collectors’ items now, but at the time it was the only thing I could afford. I loved it. It had an electric fuel pump that kept getting dirt in it and I used to have to run around to the back of the car, throw open the boot lid and wallop the electric pump with the heel of my stiletto. Ha – It brings back memories.
Who would you most like to sit next to on an airplane? Hugh Jackman – not just on an airplane, but anywhere, anytime. Pleeeease.
Best guilty pleasure ever? Hugh Jackman.

(You’re welcome, Diane)
What is the one thing you can’t live without? Chocolate

They say that if hunger isn’t the reason you’re unhappy, then food won’t be the solution. Unless it’s chocolate, of course.
Are the names of the characters in your novels important? Yes. Quite often my character arrives in my head with their name already established. I can argue with them, but they know best.
Who would play you in the movie? Barbra Striesand – but we’d both be young and I can’t sing.
Short sentence. Do not be afraid.

What is the single biggest challenge of creating the settings in your novels? I’m a panster, so settings are all in my head. So far, they haven’t changed when I have written a second or third book in a series, but I would possibly have to read my first book back if I had a long break from writing the series. Having said that, I have had these settings in my head for years and they are very strong images. Like a film that you see again and again. The setting may not change, but you might see something you missed the forth or fifth time around.
What’s the best writing advice you’ve ever heard? I’m still so new at this that I listen avidly to advice, so everything I hear is important. I love when my editor makes a remark like – don’t be afraid of the short sentence. One of the best lessons I learnt though was POV. Ask me in another year, I bet my answer will be different.

LIE-DAR CONTEST!

Although Diane’s characters get most of the adventures, she’s had several herself. But only one of the following statements is true. Which one of her statements is true?

“I still can’t believe I once became stuck in the Everglades, out in the middle of nowhere with my husband and two very young children (four and eight) and a guide who I thought was about to have a heart attack. We were on a hydrofoil and I had nothing with me apart from sun cream which I kept spreading on the children. Several hours later we were rescued and I was so relieved I never even so much as made a complaint.”
Hey, Diane— looking good with your…top… down.

“I still can’t believe I once taught pole dancing at a night club in Birmingham because the teacher failed to turn up and I was the HR Manager there. We didn’t want everyone to take their money back and not return the following week. I have to say – I was rather good.”
“I still can’t believe I once pulled up to a set of traffic lights when I was in LA and looked to the side and there was George Clooney, clad in leathers and riding a motorbike. He looked into my convertible, winked at me and drove off.”

Please add your guess to your comment below, and you will be entered to win a digital (eBook) copy of Diane’s new contemporary romance, Flynn’s Kiss. Winner will be announced next Thursday, April 24th.

Flynn’s Kiss — [Click here to buy at sale price of $2.79 during Taliesin’s Anniversary Sale]

Severely scarred during a disastrous mission, ex special forces Flynn Swann is home after three years of avoidance. By his own admission, he’s no good with women and the last thing he expects or wants is the attention of a curvy little brunette, who’s just passing through.
With apparently no fear or revulsion of his scarred face, the boisterous woman bounds into his life and destroys all hope of a quiet visit. It is obvious to literally everyone that she wants him—all of him.
Worse still, despite her atrocious taste in fashion and Stetsons, she appears to have won the hearts of the entire town.
Scientist Liberty Sophia Glennon is on a mission to find a man before she has to return to the loneliness of the New Zealand outback where she has already spent eighteen lonely months doing research.
A ticking hormone bomb, Liberty feels time is running away with her. Outwardly she is a bouncing ball of over-confidence, but inside she is still a frightened little girl with horrific memories of her childhood and a desperate need to be liked.
Completely unfazed by his external scars, her seduction of Flynn is not so difficult, but follow-through proves painful as Liberty realizes Flynn’s wounds run further than just skin deep.
With apparently nothing in common but their passionate attraction, how will these two damaged souls deal with each other’s fear of rejection?

Excerpt:

From the darkened protection of the corner of the room, Flynn watched the curvy little brunette with the bubbly hair bounce around, microphone in hand, wailing her heart out with obvious enjoyment. The sight of her large rounded breasts as they jiggled merrily along with the tune heated his stomach and threatened to move lower. She’d flicked several glances in his direction, and each time she did, he sank farther into the protective shadows by the wall, conscious she couldn’t see the left side of his face too clearly in the blue-hued lighting. Cute and friendly she might seem, but he knew from experience she would change her tune once she got a load of his scars. Women always did.

At the age of eighteen he’d considered himself a lady-killer—as most guys did—but he had been full of himself, knowing he was a good-looking son of a bitch. Never had a single problem or gave a second thought. If he wanted, he took, with great enjoyment and relish. With his unusually pale blue, bold eyes, dark brown hair, and chiseled features, he’d caught the attention of women of all ages. The fact he’d been brought up riding rodeo and working a ranch since he was born just added into the long, lean tone of his body. What nature hadn’t given him naturally, hard work and a tough upbringing had molded to perfection. When he’d joined the Special Forces, he’d honed it beyond perfection. He wasn’t overly tall, just under six feet, but his entire physique gave him presence. As a young man, he’d known it and reveled in it. Ego had driven him hard.

A golden boy, given the gift of a beautiful face, a bright mind, and a naturally lean body. He’d been destined to marry the glamour girl, crowned king and queen of the prom…everyone in town believed he had a long and happy marriage ahead of him with Rachel. Personally, he’d had a few qualms about the woman’s intelligence, but at the time and with the shallowness of youth, he had wallowed in her perfect beauty and the envy of the other boys. Celebrations had been wild at their engagement party before he went off to training camp. Faithful, he had returned to her time and again after each assignment. He’d had ambition, and she’d had plans. The pair were well-suited.

It didn’t matter. It all changed with the slash of a knife. His looks were destroyed, his mind rebelled, and the glamour girl ran screaming for the hills. He’d had the same reaction from women ever since.

He tipped the bottle of beer up to his mouth and stared down the length of it at the pretty brunette. Her breasts were interesting—got a nice little heat going in the pit of his belly—but his preference was her pert little ass as she swayed in perfect rhythm to the song she was murdering. She caught his eye again, gave a broad smile and a twitch of her eyebrows. A definite invitation.

He drew farther into the shadows.

About the Author
Flynn’s Kiss Buy Links

Where to Find Diane Saxon

***Would you like to be a guest on Thursday Lie-dar? I’d love to feature you and your work here! (interview, contest, book review, guest post) For information, send email to barbtaub@gmail.com***